Legal experts, officials identify shortcomings in different provincial laws

PESHAWAR: Officials and legal experts identified existing legal gaps in various provincial laws and discussed a number of proposals and opinions to remove lacuna and flaws with mutual consultations.

The matter was discussed during a meeting, attended by Members of the Provincial Assembly Sobia Shahid, Akhtar Khan, Munir Hussain Laghmani, and Arbab Muhammad Usman Khan via Zoom. Secretary Law Department Akhtar Saeed Turk, along with officials from the Home Department, Law Department, Prosecution Department, Advocate General’s Office, and other relevant departments, also participated.

During the meeting, detailed deliberations were held on shortcomings in different provincial laws, with a special focus on identifying flaws in the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Participants discussed various proposals and opinions aimed at aligning the Act with current ground realities and prevailing security conditions.

The committee was informed that the Home Department has identified three major discrepancies in the Anti-Terrorism Act. In addition, a proposal was presented for the formation of a sub-committee to conduct a comprehensive and holistic review of the Act. Officials of the Home Department also shared recommendations regarding aligning the punishment and sentencing framework under the Act with practical realities. The meeting further reviewed the overall status of existing laws, proposed legislative amendment drafts, and the implementation of court orders.

The committee agreed on several recommendations to make the legislative process more effective, transparent and in line with constitutional requirements.

During the discussion, MPA Munir Hussain Laghmani emphasized the need to improve the quality of investigations and to further strengthen the justice delivery system.

Addressing the meeting, the Provincial Law Minister stated that while the Home Department had examined the Act from a prosecution perspective, it was essential to study the law on research-based grounds to safeguard public interest. Legal aspects related to human rights, good governance, and the protection of women and vulnerable segments of society were also discussed in detail.

Concluding the meeting, Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam said that effective legislation, timely implementation of judicial decisions, and reforms in the legal system were among the government’s top priorities. He directed the concerned departments to further strengthen inter-departmental coordination and institutional harmony to ensure the provision of timely and effective justice to the public.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026